Braced step-ladder.



A. F. TALBOT.

BRACED STEP LADDER. APPLIGATION FILED JULY 18, 1913.

1,082,832, Patented Dec. 30, 1913.

WITNEJSFJ: //V y FNTOR COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH 50.,WASl-IINOTON, D. c.

ALBERT FRANCIS TALBOT, or CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND.

BRACED STEP-LADDER.

Specification of Letters Iatent. Application filed July 18, 1913.

Patented Dec. 30, 1913. Serial No. 779,678.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT FRANCIS TAL- BOT, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at 218 Armagh street, Christchurch, in the Dominion of New Zealand, have invented new and useful Improvements in Braced Step-Ladders, of which the follow-. ing is a specification.

This invention relates to step-ladders, trestles and the like, its object being to provide greater stability when in use, and to enable such devices to ada t themselves to stand firmly on uneven surfzices.

In attaining this object the invention consists in the provision of a frame or member slidably arranged upon the prop section of the ladder or other device, such frame having pivoted upon it a pair of braces adapted when the prop section is in position for use, to spread so that the lower ends of such braces project at an angle laterally and bear upon the ground one on either side of the prop section and thus prevent the ladder from falling sidewise.

In order that the nature of the invention may be fully understood, reference will now be made to the accompanying sheet of drawings in which j Figure 1.- is a rear elevation of a stepladder with the invention attached, the position being that in which the prop section is folded against the step section of the ladder. Fig. 2?- is a similar View showing the relative positions of the sliding member, braces and prop section when the latter is extended ready for use, and Fig. 3. is a side elevation of Fig. 2 in which the folded position of the prop section and its attached parts is indicated in dotted lines.

The step ladder to which the invention is shown attached is of the accepted form comprising a step section constituted by a pair of uprights or side-pieces 1 between which are disposed a series of rungs or treads 2, and a prop section 3 hingeably attached to the said step section so as to be capable of being extended at an angle with the latter for the purpose of providing a support, or of folding against such step section when not required for use.

According to the present invention a frame or member 4: is provided and adapted for sliding movement longitudinally upon the prop section 3. As shown in the drawings the member 4 is arranged between and flush with the prop section 8, a strap or plate 5 being secured to the said member and adapted to loosely embrace the front and rear faces of the proper section in order to permit of sliding movement. As however the same purpose may be effected in numerous other ways, this construction is to be regarded merely as showing by way of example one method of making the member 4: slidable upon the prop section and not as essential to the invention. Upon the said slid-able member 4 are pivoted as at 6 and 7, a pair of braces 8 and 9 which are so controlled by means hereinafter described, that while the member 4; is in its upward position (Fig. 1) such braces will lie approximately parallel with each other and with the prop section and upon sliding such member 4 to its downward position, such braces will spread apart at an angle of approximately 40" or 45 with one another so that their lower ends will project laterally and bear upon the ground one on either side of the prop section, while the upper ends of such braces which are suitably beveled will abut with one another and so serve to limit the spread.

Each of the braces is adapted to lie between the outer stop 10 and an inner stop 11 both arranged upon the prop section, so that as the sliding member is depressed the inner stops 11 will bear against the inner edges of the braces and so cause the latter to spread apart in the required manner in which position the outer edges of the braces will come in contact with the outer stops 10 thus causing the braces to support the prop section. Upon again sliding the member 4 to its upward position the outer stops by their pressure against the outer edges of the braces will serve to return the latter to their parallel position.

As shown in the drawings the outer stops 10 consist of wooden blocks connected together by means of a transverse batten 12 which latter serves as a guide to prevent the sliding member and braces from moving outward and so becoming displaced. Such construction may however be varied as for instance by arranging upon each side of the prop section a strap adapted to embrace the adjacent brace and thus constitute the stops l0 and 11 without departing from the invention.

In order that the upward and downward movement of the sliding member may be effected automatically by the action of opensection and thus obviate the liability that might otherwise exist of the ladder or other device overbalancing and falling sidewise. Again in cases where the device is required to stand upon uneven ground, the braces on account of their arrangement and method of mounting will adapt themselves so that the lower end: of onemay rest on a somewhat higher level than the other and still support the prop section in the required manner.

I claim:

1. In a step ladder or the like, in combination, a step section, a prop section, a member slidingly mounted on said prop section, and braces pivotally supported upon said member, the lower ends of said braces being adapted to be spread apart and to engage the ground when said'sliding member occupies its lowermost position.

2.- In a step ladder or the like, in combination, a step section, a prop section, a member slidingly mounted on said prop section, braces pivotally supported upon said memher, and means adapted to force said braces outward to occupy their operative positions when said member is moved from its upper to its lower position.

3. In a step ladder or the like in combination, a step section, a prop section, a

member slidingly mounted on said prop section, braces pivotally supported upon said member, and means adapted to force said braces inward to occupy their inoperative positions when said member is moved from its lower to its upper position.

l. In a step ladder or the like, in combination, a step section, a prop section, a member slidingly mounted on saidprop section, braces pivotally supportedupon said member, adaptedito be engaged by the outer edge of said braces whereby said braces will support said prop section.

5. In a step ladder or the like, in combination, a step section, a prop section, a member slidingly mounted on said prop'section,

braces pivotally supported upon said mem ber, and means for automatically moving said sliding member as theprop section is opened and closed.

In testimony whereof I have signed my and means upon said prop section name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALBERT FRANCIS TALBOT.

Witnesses:

PERCY RICHMOND CLI IE, SIDNEY JAMES TRELEAvEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of latents, Washington, D. G. 

